Spring-heel.



T. DEE; SPRING HEEL.

APPLIGATIOR PILI-ID EAR. 12, 19'09.

933,422. Patented Sept. 7, 1909.'

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THOMAS DEE, or RANDOLPI-I, MiissAcHUsErrs.

sui-simama l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented se t. 7, 1909.

Application filed March 12, 1909. Serial No. 483,007.

To all whom ?lt may concern: v

Be it known that I, THOMAS DEE, of Randolph, in the county 'of Norfolkgand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in Spring-Heels, of which the following isa specifieation.

This invention has for its object to provide a boot or shoe heel having a yielding cushion of simple and durable construction adapted to etfectively cushion the shocks and jars incidental to walking, and to be readily attached to and removed from the heel, so that the cushion may be readily removed and renewed when worn out.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Figure 1 represents a bottom view of a heel provided with a socket inaccordance with my invention, adapted to receive a detachable heel cushion. Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 2-2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a side view of the cushion removed from the heel." F ig. 4 represents a view Similar to Fig. 2, showing the cushion in section and engaged with the heel. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the bushing shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out ny invention, I form in the body of a boot or shoe heel 12 a circular cavity or socket adapted to receive the cushion hereinafter described. Said socket is preferably formed by cutting out circular pieces from the lifts,'of which the heel is composed, and inserting in the cavity thus formed a tubular Sheet metal bushing 13, which closely fits the cavity so that it may be retained therein by fricton or otherwise; The bushing is provided at its inner end with coupling members, which are here shown as an open hook 14 and a closed loop 15. The said coupling members are adapted to be detachably engaged with a cushion which includes a helical Wire spring 16 formed to enter the bushing, the inner end portion of the spring being tapered or wedge-shaped, as indicated at 17, and so formed that it is adapted to enterthe hook 14: and loop 15 by imparting a rotary movement to the spring when it has been inserted in the bushing, the outer end of the portion 17 of the spring first entering the hook and then the loop, so that, when the spring has been rotated toba sufi icient eX- tent, its inner end portion will be engaged` with the hook and loop as indicated in Big. at. The spring is thus detachably engaged with the bushing and with the heel, its disengage'nent from the heel being effected by rotating it backwardly until theinner portion of the spring is withdrawn .from the hook and loop. The cushion also includes a head 18 formed to closely fit and move in the .mouth of the bushing, the head being preferably a circular block, of rubber or other suitable elastic material impervious to dirt and water, provided with a reduced inner portion 1 9 'of smaller diameter than the head and'adapted to be screwed into the convolutions of the outer portion of the spring, the said reduced portion being firmly grasped by the spring so that the rubber head 18 and the spring 16 constitute a twopart cushion, the parts of which are rotatable in unison to apply the cushion to the ieel and renove it therefrom. The head 18 normally rojects from the socket or bushing, as indicated in Fig. 4, and is adapted to move in and out, and to prevent the adnission of mud and dirt into the socket, the head having a close sliding fit on the inner surface of the socket.

It will be seen that the resilience of the cushion is due in part to the resilience of the rubber head and in part to the resilience of the spring 16. When the head has become worn, the two-part cushion may be removed from the socket as onepart, by a backward rotation, and the head may then be unscrewed from its engagement with the spring and a new head substituted for it.

It is obvious that the coupling members 14 and 15 may be secured within the socket in any other suitable way, the bushing 13 being omitted, although the bushing is preferable. t will also be seen that the cushion may be placed on the market as an article of manufacture so that owners of boots or shoes, the heels of which are provided with the coupling members, may supply themselves with I cushions to replace those that have been worn out. It will further be seen that the bushing 'and the cushion may be supplied as a heel attachment to boot and shoe manufacturers. V

The open form of the hook 14 facilitates the entrance of the inner end ofthe spring into it, the said end being first introduced into the hook 14, which so guides the advancing end tha-t it' readily enters the' closedloo'p 15. The wedge form of the end portion r which constitutes a couphng member.

1. .A heel having a socket, a two-part cnshion conposed of a rubber head having a sliding fit in said socket, and ad'apted to* exclude dirt therefrom, and a heIical spring the outer portion of which is firmly engaged with the head, so that the spring'and head are rotatable as one part, the head being separable from the spring, and the inner portion of the spring projecting inwardly from the head, and fixed coupling means at the'inner end of the socket, the inner end portion of the spring being engageable with and detachable from said coupling means by a rotary movement of the two-part cushion.

2. A heel having a socket, a rubber cushion head having a sliding fit in the soeket `and movable lengthwise thereof, said head being provided with anintegral compressible inner portion of smaller dianeter than the head, a helical spring the outer convoiutions of which surronnd and compress Said inner portion, whereby the head and spring are eonnected to form a two-part cushion, the parts of which are rotatable in unison, the inner convolutions projeeting inwardly from the head, and fixed coupling members at. the inner end of the socket, with which the inner end portion of the spring is engageable by a rotary movement of the two-part cushion to detachably secure 'the same to the heel,

said* head ciosing the inoilthof the socket and excluding dirt;

3. A heel having a socket, a rubbe'r cush 1on head having a shding fit in the socket and movabie lengthwise thereof, said head being provided with an integral compressible inner portion of snaller dianeter than the head, a helical spring the outer convohitions of which surronnd and compress said inner portion, whereby the head and spring are connected to form a two-part cushion, the parts of which are rotatable in unison, the inner convohtions projecting inwardly from the head, and fixed conpling members at the inner end of the socket, with which the i1'- ner end portion of the spring is engageabie by a' rotary movement of the two-part enshion to detachably secnre the same to the heel, the inner end of the spring being wedgeshaped whereby it is adapted to frietionally ei'gage one of said conpling members.

t. A two-part heel cushion comprising a rnbber head forming the tread portion of the eushion, and provided with a rednced inner portion', and. a helical spring tornig the shank portion of the cnshion, the onter con- Vohitions of the spring being screwed u )on the reduced inner portion of the rnb er head, so that the two parts are adapted to be rotated in unison, and are separable from each other, the spring projecting from the inner portion of the head, so that its inner end portion constitutes a coupling member adapted to be engaged with a eomplenental eoupling member in a heel, by a rotary morement of the cushion.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

his THOMAS DE C.

mark

itnesses C. F. BROWN, P. W. PEZZETTI. 

